EDDIE KONCZAL: My 100 favorite songs

 




Updated for 2009: This is a pretty accurate list of my 100 favorite songs.  For the first time since I started compiling these lists, a song other than "Starless" by King Crimson is #1.  Of course, I still love that song (it's still #2), but "Supper's Ready" by Genesis represents everything you could ever want in an epic prog rock song (of which there are many on this list), and packs more of an emotional punch to boot. 

2009 Rank Song Artist Year 2008 Rank
1 Supper's Ready Genesis 1972 4
2 Starless King Crimson 1974 1
3 Let Down Radiohead 1997 3
4 And You And I Yes 1972 2
5 While You See a Chance Steve Winwood 1981 8
6 Under Pressure Queen and David Bowie 1981 6
7 Bitter Sweet Symphony The Verve 1997 9
8 Fake Plastic Trees Radiohead 1995 7
9 Don't Cry Seal 1994 5
10 Awaken Yes 1977 12
11 Ordinary World Duran Duran 1993 13
12 Close to the Edge Yes 1972 14
13 More Than This Roxy Music 1982 10
14 Street Spirit (Fade Out) Radiohead 1995 15
15 Nights in White Satin The Moody Blues 1967 17
16 Epitaph King Crimson 1969 11
17 How Soon Is Now The Smiths 1985 19
18 Lucky Man The Verve 1997 20
19 The Musical Box Genesis 1971 22
20 Tarkus Emerson, Lake and Palmer 1972 25
21 Where the Streets Have No Name U2 1987 30
22 Am I Wrong Love Spit Love 1994 28
23 Let My Love Open the Door Pete Townshend 1980 26
24 Crazy Seal 1991 16
25 Can-Utility and the Coastliners Genesis 1972 27
26 The Crane Wife 1 & 2 The Decemberists 2006 47
27 Xanadu Rush 1977 32
28 Suzanne Leonard Cohen 1968 37
29 Don't You (Forget About Me) Simple Minds 1985 18
30 Avalon Roxy Music 1982 35
31 Fallen Angel King Crimson 1974 36
32 The Remembering Yes 1974 23
33 Turn the Page Terence Trent D'Arby 1993 33
34 Slave to Love Bryan Ferry 1985 52
35 The Boxer Simon and Garfunkel 1969 40
36 Turn of the Century Yes 1977 44
37 Romeo and Juliet Dire Straits 1980 87
38 Last Year's Man Leonard Cohen 1971 31
39 Ritual Yes 1974 38
40 Paranoid Android Radiohead 1997 49
41 Heart of the Sunrise Yes 1972 42
42 The Whole of the Moon The Waterboys 1985 46
43 Sowing the Seeds of Love Tears for Fears 1989 21
44 Let the Day Begin The Call 1989 29
45 The Night Watch King Crimson 1974 48
46 Bobcaygeon The Tragically Hip 1998 50
47 Take Me Back Erasure 1994 24
48 No Surprises Radiohead 1997 57
49 Save a Prayer Duran Duran 1982 39
50 The Voice The Moody Blues 1981 53
51 Now My Heart Is Full Morrissey 1994 60
52 Starship Trooper Yes 1971 54
53 Fix You Coldplay 2005 51
54 Skateaway Dire Straits 1980 43
55 The Court of the Crimson King King Crimson 1969 55
56 Gift Shop The Tragically Hip 1996 41
57 Pirates Emerson, Lake and Palmer 1977 61
58 Open Letter (To a Landlord) Living Colour 1988 45
59 Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon and Garfunkel 1969 59
60 Everything In its Right Place Radiohead 2000 64
61 Transatlanticism Death Cab for Cutie 2003 71
62 Video Killed the Radio Star Buggles 1979 56
63 What Sarah Said Death Cab for Cutie 2005 75
64 Run Snow Patrol 2004 92
65 American Pie Don McLean 1971 65
66 To Be Over Yes 1974 68
67 Breath After Breath Duran Duran 1993 34
68 No More 'I Love Yous' Annie Lennox 1995 72
69 The Pass Rush 1989 77
70 Deep Water Seal 1991 63
71 Caught By the River Doves 2002 73
72 I Love You Climax Blues Band 1980 79
73 In the Morning of the Magicians The Flaming Lips 2002 80
74 Politik Coldplay 2002 83
75 Space and Time The Verve 1997 78
76 Do You Realize? The Flaming Lips 2002 89
77 Mr. Brightside The Killers 2004 85
78 One Tree Hill U2 1987 66
79 The Cedar Room Doves 2000 90
80 If It Be Your Will Leonard Cohen 1984 98
81 Marching Bands of Manhattan Death Cab for Cutie 2005 95
82 Hallelujah Leonard Cohen 1984 --
83 Pyramid Song Radiohead 2001 74
84 Nostradamus Al Stewart 1974 62
85 Somebody Depeche Mode 1985 58
86 Afterglow Genesis 1976 70
87 My Antarctica Duran Duran 1990 69
88 I Talk To The Wind King Crimson 1969 91
89 How To Be Dead Snow Patrol 2004 --
90 Serpentine Song Steve Hackett 2003 81
91 NYC Interpol 2002 99
92 Intervention Arcade Fire 2007 96
93 Anthem Leonard Cohen 1992 93
94 Dakota Stereophonics 2005 --
95 The Finish Line Snow Patrol 2006 --
96 Re-Make/Re-Model Roxy Music 1972 --
97 Don't Let It Bring You Down Annie Lennox 1995 88
98 Idioteque Radiohead 2000 --
99 Sinatra The Fire Theft 2003 86
100 Democracy Leonard Cohen 1992 --

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Updated 24-Oct-2009